First real ride for the season - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

BudTheGrey · 05-07-2006, 06:23 PM

First "real" ride, 'cause back and forth to work doesn't count

<route info for those interested>
Upstate NY; Rt9N south 7 86 West through Wilmington, past Whiteface into Lake placid. Coffee at Stewart's. Down Rt 73 through the cascade lakes, through the keene valley, across the mountain on a back road to Port henry. Coffee and gas at Stewart's there. Back north up Rt9 to Keeseville (home). About 100 miles or so.
</route info>

Beautiful day, upper 60's for the most part (colder in the high peaks near LP). Bike running good, sun shining, road practically to myself.

This was the first real test of the two new additions to the bike. The lowers from Value Accessories are worth every penny. What a difference they make; wind noise is dramatically reduced.

I've also got a new set of Phat Risers from ScootWorks. I had the dealer install them during spring checkup. The jury is still out on how much of an improvement they are. I had to tinker with the placement of the levers on the handle bar to get them where to where I liked them . The bars still feel just a tad high, but I'm gonna give them a little more time before I make a final decision. I think rolling the bars down a bit in the clamps will help.

The new risers made the front brake cable pretty tight. I'm afraid anything bigger wouldn't have fit. I'm going to see if I can unclamp the hose from the frame and use some of the extra slack from near the caliper. Does anyone make longer after market brake lines for the C50 / Volusia?

I also started to get a little bit of numb-butt after a couple hours in the saddle. I don't know if that's just because it's early in the season, for because the new risers put me in a more upright riding position (with the originals, I leaned forward a bit to reach them.) Again, time will tell, and I saved the old risers.

robertc729 · 05-07-2006, 08:02 PM

Sounds like a nice ride.

MYC50T · 05-07-2006, 08:40 PM

You can try lowering the bars in the risers (twist them down), took a couple of trials for me to get mine just right with the Aeromach Risers, but now that I have it is a far more comfortable ride for me! I find motorcycle techs tend to install things too high, I suppose us "Vertically Challenged" seem to think that way though.

**intimid8er** · 05-08-2006, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

First "real" ride, 'cause back and forth to work doesn't count

<route info for those interested>
Upstate NY; Rt9N south 7 86 West through Wilmington, past Whiteface into Lake placid. Coffee at Stewart's. Down Rt 73 through the cascade lakes, through the keene valley, across the mountain on a back road to Port henry. Coffee and gas at Stewart's there. Back north up Rt9 to Keeseville (home). About 100 miles or so.
</route info>

Beautiful day, upper 60's for the most part (colder in the high peaks near LP). Bike running good, sun shining, road practically to myself.

This was the first real test of the two new additions to the bike. The lowers from Value Accessories are worth every penny. What a difference they make; wind noise is dramatically reduced.

I've also got a new set of Phat Risers from ScootWorks. I had the dealer install them during spring checkup. The jury is still out on how much of an improvement they are. I had to tinker with the placement of the levers on the handle bar to get them where to where I liked them . The bars still feel just a tad high, but I'm gonna give them a little more time before I make a final decision. I think rolling the bars down a bit in the clamps will help.

The new risers made the front brake cable pretty tight. I'm afraid anything bigger wouldn't have fit. I'm going to see if I can unclamp the hose from the frame and use some of the extra slack from near the caliper. Does anyone make longer after market brake lines for the C50 / Volusia?

I also started to get a little bit of numb-butt after a couple hours in the saddle. I don't know if that's just because it's early in the season, for because the new risers put me in a more upright riding position (with the originals, I leaned forward a bit to reach them.) Again, time will tell, and I saved the old risers.

Damn Bud....all those roads and towns are making me homesick!!

BudTheGrey · 05-08-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Damn Bud....all those roads and towns are making me homesick!!

Yup, that's really my favorite ride, although there's very little bad anywhere in this part of the country. I'm gonna try to get out to Potsdam this year and ride down rt56 to Tupper lake. It's an all day trip, but worth it.

And of course, Americade is in 4 weeks.

JKDJose · 05-08-2006, 07:54 PM

Sounds like you had a great ride. I also took a 154 mile ride this weekend with riders of the CMA. We managed to do NY, NJ and PA. It was a great weekend for riding. I will probably being doing another ride to woodstock and Lake Minnewaska this weekend, if it doesn't rain.

**intimid8er** · 05-09-2006, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

And of course, Americade is in 4 weeks.

Ehhhhhh.........I wish there was an emoticon with the middle finger on here!!!

I got relatives over in Hague, Ti, and all points between from the East, West, North, and South of ya!

Spent a lot of my misspent youth in Hague, and a lot of travel time on them roads you mention.

BudTheGrey · 05-09-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKDJose

Sounds like you had a great ride. I also took a 154 mile ride this weekend with riders of the CMA. We managed to do NY, NJ and PA. It was a great weekend for riding. I will probably being doing another ride to woodstock and Lake Minnewaska this weekend, if it doesn't rain.

Really? I'm originally from just outside Port Jervis, NY. If hit NY, PA, and NJ all in the same day, you were riding on some of my old stompin' ground.

BudTheGrey · 05-09-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Spent a lot of my misspent youth in Hague, and a lot of travel time on them roads you mention.

Well, on Friday, Jun 9th, after the ride down, wanderin' around the place looking for new bling for the C50 (which my 8 year daughter has christened "redbird"), and dinner on the cruise boat, I'll hoist my beer in a toast to ya.

PhilC64 · 05-10-2006, 10:15 PM

Sounds like you had a great trip! I'm looking forward to making a few of my own in the next several weeks. I just bought my C50T and after the first 25 miles I'm back in love with riding again! It's funny but I parked the bike 4 hours ago and still can't get the grin off my face!

BudTheGrey · 05-11-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilC64

Sounds like you had a great trip! I'm looking forward to making a few of my own in the next several weeks. I just bought my C50T and after the first 25 miles I'm back in love with riding again! It's funny but I parked the bike 4 hours ago and still can't get the grin off my face!

Yup, that's what happens. Now I'll help get you in trouble:

These are pretty much a must

I also added a pair of Phat Risers but I'm not convinced yet that they are as much of an improvement as I wanted

05-07-2006, 06:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
BudTheGrey Third gear and cruising Joined: Jul 2005 Bike: 2005 Suzuki C50 LE Location: Keeseville NY Posts: 471	First real ride for the season First "real" ride, 'cause back and forth to work doesn't count <route info for those interested> Upstate NY; Rt9N south 7 86 West through Wilmington, past Whiteface into Lake placid. Coffee at Stewart's. Down Rt 73 through the cascade lakes, through the keene valley, across the mountain on a back road to Port henry. Coffee and gas at Stewart's there. Back north up Rt9 to Keeseville (home). About 100 miles or so. </route info> Beautiful day, upper 60's for the most part (colder in the high peaks near LP). Bike running good, sun shining, road practically to myself. This was the first real test of the two new additions to the bike. The lowers from Value Accessories are worth every penny. What a difference they make; wind noise is dramatically reduced. I've also got a new set of Phat Risers from ScootWorks. I had the dealer install them during spring checkup. The jury is still out on how much of an improvement they are. I had to tinker with the placement of the levers on the handle bar to get them where to where I liked them . The bars still feel just a tad high, but I'm gonna give them a little more time before I make a final decision. I think rolling the bars down a bit in the clamps will help. The new risers made the front brake cable pretty tight. I'm afraid anything bigger wouldn't have fit. I'm going to see if I can unclamp the hose from the frame and use some of the extra slack from near the caliper. Does anyone make longer after market brake lines for the C50 / Volusia? I also started to get a little bit of numb-butt after a couple hours in the saddle. I don't know if that's just because it's early in the season, for because the new risers put me in a more upright riding position (with the originals, I leaned forward a bit to reach them.) Again, time will tell, and I saved the old risers. __________________ If you can't stand behind our folks in the military, feel free to stand in front of them

05-07-2006, 08:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
MYC50T Kickstand Operator Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: 2005 Suzuki Boulevard C50T Location: SE Minnesota Posts: 291	You can try lowering the bars in the risers (twist them down), took a couple of trials for me to get mine just right with the Aeromach Risers, but now that I have it is a far more comfortable ride for me! I find motorcycle techs tend to install things too high, I suppose us "Vertically Challenged" seem to think that way though. __________________ "THE KEY TO RIDING SAFELY IS HUMILITY, WITHOUT HUMILITY YOU HAVEN'T A CHANCE IN HELL"

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05-07-2006, 08:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
robertc729 M-J.Com Master Poster Joined: Mar 2006 Bike: 05 Boulevard C50 LE, 06 S40 (wife's bike) Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,975	Sounds like a nice ride.

05-08-2006, 07:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
JKDJose Seat Tester Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 70	Sounds like you had a great ride. I also took a 154 mile ride this weekend with riders of the CMA. We managed to do NY, NJ and PA. It was a great weekend for riding. I will probably being doing another ride to woodstock and Lake Minnewaska this weekend, if it doesn't rain.

05-10-2006, 10:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
PhilC64 Newbie Joined: May 2006 Bike: C50T Posts: 4	Sounds like you had a great trip! I'm looking forward to making a few of my own in the next several weeks. I just bought my C50T and after the first 25 miles I'm back in love with riding again! It's funny but I parked the bike 4 hours ago and still can't get the grin off my face!

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